"Falling off could result in severe injury or death.” On my arrival at Velaa Private Island resort in the Maldives this sign, plastered on each of the low-slung golf buggies that languorously carry pampered guests to and fro, had seemed alarmist. A few days later, rendered infantile by staff who took care of my every requirement, I understood its necessity. Once travellers succumb to the constant mollycoddling that typifies stays at the country’s best hotels it’s surprising how quickly stress levels, and any sense of personal responsibility, unravel.

Opened in January, Velaa is one of two newcomers – more of the other, Cheval Blanc Randheli, which opened in November, anon – and its unabashed aim is to outshine its established competitors. Its owner, the Czech billionaire Jiri Smejc, became enamoured by the Maldives when he went there on holiday and enlisted his butler to find an island he could turn into a resort of his own. A suitable deserted island was found a 45-minute plane ride north of the capital, Malé. Smejc invested $220 million in the 45-villa retreat – more than had been spent on any Maldivian resort up to that time – and that butler was one of the first staff members he hired.

Beyond the silken sands and excellent diving opportunities expected at every Maldivian resort, the facilities supporting Velaa’s aim to be the country’s most luxurious holiday destination are manifold. The Masters champion José María Olazábal has designed the resort’s confoundingly lush one-hectare golf course; the three-storey, 6,000-bottle wine “cellar” has a £1 million inventory and private cruises can be arranged on the resort’s yacht. Amid the panoply of flash distractions there are some duds, however. My jaunt on the resort’s cramped semi-submarine was deeply uncomfortable and distressing – it’s best avoided; the My Blend by Clarins spa’s “snow room” – a strange sort of luxe walk-in freezer covered in crystallised mounds of ice and snow that is favoured by Russian guests – is a brash oddity.

Alongside those Russians, Middle Eastern royalty, European socialites and tech entrepreneurs form much of the clientele – with rooms costing a minimum of £2,100 per night in peak season this is a retreat for the world’s richest people. Guests often hide out in their homely, demurely styled villas for days – whether overwater or beachside, each features its own pool and dedicated butler, and meals can be taken there instead of in Velaa’s three excellent restaurants. The most privacy-conscious guests sequester themselves in four-bedroom residences complete with their own gym and spa room. For passersby, the only indication these palm-shrouded, 13,000sq ft fortresses are occupied might be the sight of bodyguards, perspiring deeply and deathly bored in this safe-as-can-be setting, stationed by the door.

Still, some chatter about other guests’ behaviour did reach me. There was the Middle Eastern businessman who dropped his iPhone in the pool and insisted that it be replaced immediately. That wasn’t possible, so staff chartered a plane to bring one from Malé. It arrived within two hours, devoid of passengers, the phone its only cargo.

My request for some shirts to be ironed seemed embarrassingly unimaginative by comparison, but then I wanted for nothing. My butler, Boos, was charm personified, if confused by my preference for walking 200 metres to breakfast rather than taking a buggy. I found most of his colleagues, many cherry-picked by Smejc after impressing him on his stays at rival resorts, equally wonderful; they are perhaps Velaa’s greatest attribute. Five days in their care left me quite unable to fend for myself and convinced that Velaa is one of the world’s greatest luxury resorts.

But in terms of style, at least, it is beaten by Cheval Blanc Randheli. Operated by LVMH Hotel Management, part of the Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy empire, the property was designed by Jean-Michel Gathy – the go-to guy for decadent hotel interiors – and it is visually spectacular. Each with private infinity pool, the resort’s 45 villas are vast, cathedral-like spaces tastefully finished with teak, cinnamon wood and coconut shell, and capped by thatched roofs.

Additional flourishes impress elsewhere. Lined with slate and square in shape, the main pool could also serve as a backdrop for fashion shoots (and no doubt it already has); Vincent Beaurin artworks are on show throughout; and the resort’s boutique stocks LVMH products unavailable elsewhere – during my stay, a guest at Velaa visited to buy the limited-edition Hublot Oceanographic 4000 Cheval Blanc Randheli watch. There are only 25 in existence and they cost about £22,000 apiece.

Unsurprisingly the clientele here is a well-dressed one. Fashion-industry stalwarts are frequent visitors and other notable guests have included the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

The most privacy-conscious guests sometimes book three villas side-by-side, buffering their abode from the potential of prying eyes, but this is a relaxed place. I was told many visitors make daily visits to Cheval Blanc’s chic Guerlain spa, found on its own island and reached by a traditional dhoni, or charter boats to nearby reefs where the snorkelling is superlative and dolphins come to feed and frolic.

In the evening occasional beachside barbecues give guests the chance to congregate, or they can dine at one of five different restaurants. On stilts and open on two sides, the Deelani serves sprightly seafood dishes and coconut curries; its polar opposite is Le 1947, a European fine-dining restaurant and the resort’s only formal space. Its corniced windows, glistening chandeliers and besuited diners make it an unlikely addition to the property but it works. My flawlessly presented meal, featuring Dublin Bay prawns in a crustacean emulsion and wagyu beef with Comté cheese, rivalled the best I’ve had at any restaurant in Europe.

Other imports and incongruities are less successful, however. For some reason, local staff at this Indian Ocean resort must greet English-speaking guests in French – an irritating, pointless affectation that perhaps contributed to the team’s occasionally nervous demeanour – and, rather than being served by butlers and personal concierges, guests must engage with “majordomes” and “alchemists”.

Still, in a setting this spectacular any minor quibbles dissipate rapidly. A stay in the Maldives may offer little else than the opportunity to swim, spa, eat and sleep, but few destinations do a better job of instilling a sense of utter relaxation and rejuvenation. A few teething problems notwithstanding, Velaa Private Island and Cheval Blanc Randheli have already staked a claim as two of the world’s pre-eminent luxury resorts.

Getting thereEmirates (0844 800 2777; emirates.com) flies from London Gatwick to the Maldives via Dubai from £638 in economy class, £2,240 in business class.

Staying thereB & b accommodation at Velaa Private Island costs from £1,000 per night. Bookings can be made at velaaprivateisland.com or by calling 00960 730 4861.

B & b accommodation at Cheval Blanc Randheli costs from £750 per night. Bookings can be made at chevalblanc.com or by calling 00960 301 6000.